Improvement in seats for churches



C H ARL-ES 0. M E-A L I A.

Improvement 'in Self-acting Seats.

No. 122,730, Patentedlan.16,1872.

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CHARLES o. MEALIA, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEATS FOR CHURCHES, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,730, dated January 16, 1872; antedated December 30, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. MEALIA,

of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self Adjnstin g Seats or Stools for the use of Churches, Theaters, Public Halls, or other places; and I here by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is lettered to correspond with and form apart of the specification.

To enable the public to understand the nature of my said improvement in self-adjusting seats, I will describe it, as follows, to wit:

Figure 1 is a perspective drawing of the seat A, secured to the end of the pew B, next the aisle; also, showing the door D partly open. A and A are the hinged braces which constitute and form the principal part of the frame-work of the seat A, in combination with the upper and lower rounds It It. The latter form the bearings of the flexible ends of the Wound or anyother suitable springs, S S, which operate the seat A when the same is set free by unhooking the hook H, or any other device that will hold the hinged braces at an angle of about forty-five degrees, more or less, as

may be required to tighten the seat A. The lower end of the braces A and A are fitted into metallic sockets 1 and 2, the lower ends of which are provided with a tongue to fit between the vertical fianges of the metallic seat 0, a pin being made to pass through the flanges of the seat 0 and through the tongue of each socket 1 and 2 a perfect toggle-joint or hinge is produced, upon which the seat A is operated and forced back against the end of the pew B, and held in that position until required for use, as shown in Fig. 2, which is an enlarged end View of my self-acting or adjusting seat A.

By simply reversing the action ofthe springs s s the seat A will remain open or extended, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, in which case I would employ the hook H to secure the seat upright against the end of the pew B, as shown at Fig. 2, when not required for use, as the springs 8 would keep the seat open by their outward pressure in lieu of the upward and backward, as shown at Fig. 1.

I am aware that seats for the aisles of churches, 850., have been made to draw out like a bureau-drawer, and that the same have springs to force them back under the seats of the pews; and ordinary butt-hinges have been employed to secure one end of a board or other seat to the end of a pew, to be let down and raised up by hand; and that the said hinged boards are provided with hinged legs to drop down upon the floor, so as to form upright supports to the outer end of the seat, which supports are liable to be knocked away at any time, and the occupant of the seat precipitated to the floor; but by my improved arrangement of self-acting seats A, in combination with the frame-work A A and It R and the toggle-joints 1 2, secured to the strip L or floor close up to the end of the pew, out of the way of the feet of the passers by, and operated by suitable springs to open or close the same, I believe to be new and useful to the public.

Therefose, the novelty of my improvement consists in the manner of combining the sockets l and 2, metallic seats 0, springs s s, with or Without the hook H, to the frame-work of the seat A, the whole secured to the strip'or floor against the bottom of the end of the pew, wall, partition, or other analogous places; therefore,

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The combination of the seat A with the braces A A, rounds R It with sockets 1 and 2, metallic seats 0 0 secured to the floor or strip L, and springs s s, all arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OHARLES O. MEALIA.

JOHN R. MCLEAN. (62) 

